People, nostalgia is trap.
That’s not that I haven’t fallen before – like the rats of one of those “Flip-N-Slides.” Rather, I tried to be sharp and aware of what it meant (and what I was missing, perhaps overcompensating).
That perception is a big part of why I really liked last year’s biker mouse in the Mars Three-Issue Limited series. In that story, writer Melissa Flores and artist Francis Portella gave us exactly what we wanted. A great flood of memories (as happening at once, like a million Saturday morning cartoon sessions) is working to make the biker mouse itself a newer textured take. In fact, the end result was so good that Flores launched an ongoing series alongside artist Daniel Guete (Skin Police), colorist Alessandro Santoro and Letterer Taylor Esposito.
And it’s as fun as I already have, nostalgia is still a trap for everything.
Provided by Oni Press.
Yes, because in some key indicators, ongoing biker mice are a powerful continuation of a limited series. We are seriously grateful that Modo, Throttle and vinnie will work together with other Martian mice to fight the evil Plutarkians, and we will seriously thank the new #1 begins where we left off. You get that important sense of continuity without feeling like you’re missing out on too much. (Indeed, “Let’s beat the alien invaders” shtick is not novel, but it all shows the effectiveness of biker mouse as a series.)
Flores also maintains what he calls “explicit dramatization” for biker mouse “Canon.” The global onslaught of Plutalcians plus family, a combination of both macro and micro-threads and events makes biker mice feel more realistic, more than when the stadium owns everything, and the war continues. It is also a solid way to bring your kids while exploring more “advanced” themes (and surprisingly relevant to today’s landscapes).
Throwing in the events of the big planet and the corresponding losses and tragedy, biker mice are cruising directly towards our minds. Certainly, some of it can feel a bit manipulative – there are plenty of slow and strict things staring at the ruined buildings and the graves of dead parents, but there is no denying that it provides a mountain of emotions without making this book. (They are, after all, rodent Harley enthusiasts.)
Provided by Oni Press.
However, as much as this new #1 emotional development worked so well, there is no denying what Gete and Santoro’s teams have achieved. Don’t take it from Portera (along with former colorist Leonardo Pacialotti). But this new art team pushes nerdy neon stabbing behaviour and joy to a bold new level with my soul speedometer. Gete’s Art is perfectly suited for, for example, bike brigades speeding up the desert, or bike brigades desperately sprinting through fire/lava.
Heck, things remain as gorgeous and persuasive as when the mouse is intensely emotional and talks about fresh battle plans. Throws the colour of Santoro. It’s to push strength and childlike joy even further, 1) respect the source material, and 2) find the right way to strengthen and expand the world and mouse without affecting our vision as a loyal fan/rider.
The book’s appearance is not necessarily evolving, instead it only advances to the point that it feels like the momentum behind it from its limited run. And Gete only grasps the subject without dampening his own specific dramatic and highly stylized approach, and his careful attention means that this is just as much of a great cartoon as it is as completely destructive and layered as it is thought from the biker mouse title.
Provided by Oni Press.
If all I have to do is offer love and praise after my rather strange and hatred-filled intro, then don’t worry: the unpleasant Criticism Express reached the station. As much as everything clicks on biker mouse #1, my nostalgia alarm bell still rings loud and clear. It’s not enough to ruin the experience (at least too much) but enough to mention when considering the form of this expansion series.
Some of these issues are subtle enough. For example, the Plutalcians feel a little silly and one note. If biker mouse gets a “Hollywood action thriller” treatment to enlarge emotions/humanity (mouse anity?), I would like to do more to make the villain a real threat rather than just a caricature. (The whole Plutalcian capitalist is bent, which would seem to indicate that there is material right away for filming.)
And speaking of character reduction, there are some things happening among the biker mice themselves. Throttle feels like the main character – he has complicated love interests, a robust family life, and generally the most realized backstory. Vinnie gets some of that sentiment in this new #1, but it’s minimal enough, and Modo feels mostly afterthoughts. Still, it’s better than how I feel about stalkers now. The Stalker, a member of the Rebellion featured in the final series, appears to have already been set to betray the mouse. And if not, his traits are not sitting right after he made a compelling introduction before.
Provided by Oni Press.
Again, none of these issues are sufficient (so far…) rather, as much as this series is right, the lasting celebration of nostalgia faces potential pitfalls as mentioned. Can a book overcome these? Certainly, it appears that everyone involved is committed to doing this series and maintaining the right balance between the past and the future. At the same time, some of these issues are already so obvious in #1 that hesitancy and fear (even if only a small amount) still feel worthwhile. From meaningful reboots to sad bastards of once-loved franchise, it’s a slippery slope.
I hope the biker mouse rides very smoothly. I also hope that this book continues to go wrong, while abandoning it’s not going well.
If possible, the only trap I would fall into is labelled “The Lifetime Biker Mouse of Mars Comic Book Fans.”
“Biker Mouse from Mars” (2025) #1 reaches new speed despite slight road danger
Mars #1 biker mouse
Although some long-term issues have been brewed, the ongoing series transforms biker mouse into this dramatic thrill ride of this nostalgia and nerd splendor.
The new art team gives us a sweet, action-packed treat to devour us like giant rodents.
The story balances the source material with the desire to tell a deeper, surprisingly relevant story.
The biker mouse universe continues to grow/evolve in new and compelling ways.
There is a real problem with not paying enough attention to all three major mice, such as Hackney antagonists.
